Alignment of connector blocks in a panel



April 2, 1968 K. M. HAMMELL ALIGNMENT OF CONNECTOR BLOCKS IN A PANEL 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 18, 1965 INVENTOR. KEMPER MAarsL HAMMELL April2, 1968 K. M. HAMMELL ALIGNMENT OF CONNECTOR BLOCKS IN A PANEL 2Sheets-Sheet Filed Oct. 18, 1965 INVENTOR.

KEMPER Mum. Human. Y may why/M Unit (I 3,376,543 ALIGNMENT OF CONNECTORBLOCKS m A PANEL Kemper Martel Hammell, Harrisburg, Pa, assignor to AMPIncorporated, Harrisburg, Pa. Filed Oct. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 497,271 3Claims. (Cl. 339-132) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This inventiongenerally relates to multiple contact electrical connectors, andparticularly relates to a frame structure for units of the characterdescribed, wherein a plurality of connectors is mounted in spacedopenings in the frame. An automatic wiring means of the type describedin US. Patent No. 3,186,077, which is assigned to the present assignee,effects point-to-point wire terminations to contacts of the connectors.

In the art of manufacturing connectors of this general type, whichcontain metal contact springs with integral wiring posts extending fromthe rear surface of an insulated molded housing, certain maximummanufacturing tolerances must be provided. For instance, the location ofeach contact cavity in the housing cannot be held to less than :*;.003with respect to the base end and base side locating areas of thehousing. Further, the contacts cannot be centered in their individualcavities to anything less than 3002. In turn, the straightness andsquareness of the posts extending from the back surface of the housingis diflicult to hold so that their tips are within i010 of the contactat their base. Further, a crosswise housing warpage of :':.010 in themolding housing is permissible. The above total tolerance in location ofthe post tips with respect to the base locating areas of the connectorhousing is already as great as 1025 before the connector is secured tothe frame structure. The openings in the frame structure, while normallylocated to within $005 for hand wired connectors, can be held to within:.003 by recently developed refinements in numerically controlledprecision metal piercing and blanking machinery. In turn, thenumerically controlled wiring head of the automatic wiring machine canbe located to within :.002. Thus, the total overall post tip locationwith respect to all the locating variables is approximately :.030. Sincethe post tip locating means of the most advanced numerically controlledwiring machine is substantially no greater than i.030, it becomes quiteclear why extraordinarily precise locating means must be provided withinthe openings of the connector frame structure, and why these means musteliminate the effect of errors in stamping processes and warpage in theconnector housings.

Alignment of individual contact wiring posts with respect to the head ofan automatic wiring means is critical. If connectors are not properlyaligned and centered on the frame, their contact posts will not beadequately aligned with respect to the automatic wiring head. This hasbeen a serious problem in automating point-to-point wiring. Misalignmentof connectors in a frame having accurately positioned and sized openingscan occur as a States Patent result of the connectors being improperlylocated in the openings or the connector bodies being warped, or as aresult of burrs in the openings of the frame.

In prior aligning and mounting schemes, connectors were aligned andsecured to a frame structure by screws on either end of the connectorwhich project through corresponding holes in a structure. This scheme,while sufficient for hand-wiring opeartions, will not provide therequired close tolerances to 'be held unless a precision jig is providedto position all the connectors, and therefore will be renderedineffective when used in conjunction with precision automated wiringdevices.

In another aligning and mounting scheme, two right angle sides of aconnector block are pressed tightly against two corresponding sides ofan opening in a frame structure, whereafter the connectors are securedto the structure. This scheme is also ineffective when used inconjunction with precision automatic wiring devices. If a connector iswarped, or if the normal blanking burrs remain along the sides of anopening, the connector and its contacts cannot be properly aligned onthe structure.

The present invention obviates this misalignment problem by providingmeans in a frame structure wherein connectors are aligned by at leastthree precise locating sides of an opening in the structure, all theother edges being relieved so that neither burrs nor warped connectorbodies prevent accurate alignment.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a framestructure for precisely locating and align ing connectors.

Another object is to provide new and improved openings in a framestructure for receiving connectors and precisely locating them.

Another object is to provide openings with locating sections to receiveand align warped connector blocks.

Another object is to provide openings in a structure as described abovewherein burrs which result from punch or other fabrication processeshave no detrimental effect on the exact alignment or securement ofconnectors entered therein.

Still another object is to provide means to locate connectors in framestructure openings wherein at least three distinct areas of theconnector housings may be aligned accurately and precisely to at leastthree corresponding locating sides within the openings.

These and other desirable objects are achieved in a preferred embodimentof the invention in which the connectors comprise insulating housingshaving a series of suitable cavities therethrough to receive contacts.The contacts have means thereonincluding posts protruding from thehousings adapted to be terminated to lead wires. The connectors aresecured in spaced openings in a frame structure, which structure isultimately used in complex electronic equipment such as computers.

Other objects and attainments of the present invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the followingdetailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings inwhich there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of theinvention; it is to be understood, however, that this embodiment is notintended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but is given forpurposes of illustration in order that others skilled in the art mayfully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the mannerof applying it in practical use so that they may modify it in variousforms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective and exploded view of connectors secured in myproposed frame structure and with a connector exploded therefrom;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary top plan view showing a slightly warpedconnector secured to my frame structure;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary top plan view showing an unwarped connectorsecured to my frame structure;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary top plan view showing a slightly warpedconnector secured to a prior art frame structure; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary top plan view showing an unwarped connectorsecured to a prior art frame structure.

Referring now to FIGURES 4 and 5, prior frame structures S usuallycomprise a sheet metal panel P having openings therein to receiveportions of connectors C. Located adjacent openings 10 are holes 12 and14' which correspond with hole means 2 and 4' of connector C. Screws 16'are used in this hole arrangement to secure but not to precision locateconnectors C to panel 1?. Openings 10' frequently have burrs 18 alongtheir long sides as a result of fabrication operations. These burrsproject into opening 10 sufliciently to prevent non-warped or slightlywarped connectors C from being properly located along two sides 20' and22, FIGURE 5. Therefore, contacts 8 in connector C will not be locatedwithin tolerance ranges, relative to an automatic wiring machine.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 4, a slightly warped connector C cannotbe aligned in opening 10'. The connector may be located at side 22' butnot along side 20. Therefore, contacts 8' will not be located, withintolerance ranges, relative to a wiring device.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, a connector C comprises an insulating housingH having hole means 2 and 4 on each end thereof for securing theconnector to a frame structure. A series of passageways 6 is formedthrough housing H into which the ends of contacts 8 are insertablylocked in accordance with conventional practice.

Referring to FIGURES 2- and 3, a frame structure S in accordance withthe present invention comprises a panel P of sheet metal or dielectricmaterial having suitable openings 10 therein to receive portions ofconnectors C. Located adjacent to openings 10 are holes 12 and 14 whichcorrespond with hole means 2 and 4 of connector C. Suitable screw lockfasteners 16 or other conventional securing means are used in theseholes to secure connectors C to frame S.

Openings 10 are provided with rectilinear shaped recesses 26 and 28along two opposing sides thereof whereas the extreme ends 30 and 32 ofthe openings are substantially the same size as connector C. By thismeans, connector C may be inserted into opening 10 and located along end32 and sides 33 and 34, FIGURE 3. Burrs 18 will have no effect onlocating and positioning of the connector in the opening, as the burrsare situated along the sides of recesses 26 and 28, and will not come incontact with the connector.

A slightly warped connector C may also be located and positioned inopening 10, FIGURE 2. A curved edge 35 of thewarped connector will bedisposed in recess 28 and will not come in contact with any burrs 18along the side of opening 10. The extreme ends of even a warpedconnector C may be located and positioned along end 32 and sides 33 and34, whereafter the connector may be secured to frame S by screws 16. Thecontacts 8 will be in position within tolerances relative to the head ofan automatic wiring machine.

It should be noted that holes 12 and .14 in frame S are of suitablediameter to allow a conector to be moved in sidewise or endwise fashionin opening 10 and located relative to the sides in the opening,whereafter screws 16 may be tightened to secure the connector in thepreselected position against an end and sides. It is pointed out thateither end 30 or 32 and slides 33 and 34 or 33 and 34 are selected tosecure and align one connector in an opening 10 of panel P and theselected end and sides are used to secure and align the remainder of theconnectors within openings 10 of panel P.

This invention is not intended to be limited to the specific examplesgiven herein; it should be noted that recessed openings in accordancewith this invention may be utilized in other applications whereinconnectors are precisely located and subsequently secured to panels.

It will, therefore, be appreciated that the aforementiod. been achieved;1 however, it should be emphasized that the particular em-.

ed and other desirable objectives have bodiment of the invention whichis shown and described herein is intended as merely illustrative and notas restrictive of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a panel for mounting and aligning elongated electrical connectorshaving aligned contacts therein, panel having openings therein toreceive said connectors, and lock means defining holes. in saidconnectors aligned said with respective holes in said panel and screwsmateab le t with these aligned holes to secure said connectors to saidopening and warpage of the connector whereby said coni nectors arealigned relative to said panel and to each other.

2. In combination, a mounting panel having openings therein andelectrical connectors having dielectric housings each provided with asection disposed in said openings .and extension means-extendingoutwardly from said sectionin engagement with area means of said paneladjacent the respective openings, each of said openings having firstopposing sides and second relatively longer opposing sides, said firstopposing sides being of slightly greater extent, than the correspondingwidth of the housing disposed therein with one surface of thesectionbeing disposed adjacent parts of said first opposing sides, whichparts are located in a plane extending substantially parellel withrespect to the said one surface of the housing section, and engageabletherewith said second opposing sides defining substantially rectilinearrecesses having edges spaced from respective sides of said section, andmeans engaging said extension means and said area means securing saidelectrical connectors in position in said openings and adjacent saidparts of said first opposing 3. In a panel for mounting and aligningelongated electrical connectors having sections carrying electricalterminals and extensions extending outwardly from said sections, saidpanel having openings therein, each of said openings having opposedlocating sections and opposed recessed sections, said opposed locatingsections having a width slightly larger than the width of aconnector'section and being spaced apart a distance slightly greaterthan the length of said connector section, one surface of one of saidlocating sections and another surface of said one locating sectionperpendicular to said one surface including a further surface in theother locating section aligned with said another surface serving asalignment surfaces for aligning said connector section in the opening,said recessed sections being spaced outwardly from said 10- catingsections to provide clearance between respective sides of said section,and means provided adjacent said openings for securing said connectorson said panel via said extensions of said connectors.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,992,059 2/1935 Despard 339--1332,935,725 5/1960 Fox 339-l7 X 3,149,899 9/1964 Johanson 339-276 XRICHARD E. MOORE, Primary Examiner.

